【韵文大师】Scaredy cats
奥黛丽·伍德（Audrey Wood ）和唐·伍德（Don Wood）是美国童书界非常受欢迎的一对夫妻档。Audrey Wood之所以被称为“韵文大师”是因为她的作品读起来非常有节奏和韵律，行文朗朗上口，韵律感十足！孩子自然会喜欢，轻松爱上英文阅读！
【Scaredy cats 】胆小猫
Scaredy cats，在英文中是“胆小鬼”的意思。Audrey Wood正是用这个耳熟能详的词语奇思妙想地创作了这个关于“勇气”的故事。
【故事摘要 】
猫妈妈写了一封重要的信，准备派两只小猫去镇里邮寄，在七八个跃跃欲试的小猫中，猫妈妈选了两只最小的小黄猫和小蓝猫，并给他们准备好了钱和信。出门后，他们就害怕了，在经过森林、小桥、隧道、田野、岩石时，都因为恐怖，不时的幻想着有可怕的东西出来偷走他们的信和钱，没办法完成妈妈的任务。他们最终有没有完成妈妈的任务呢？
One busy morning, mother cat sat downand wrote a letter. When she finished, she had a problem.
一个忙碌的早晨，猫妈妈坐下来写了一封信.当她写完时,她遇到了一个问题。
Oh fishsticks!奥，天啊
（fishsticks鱼条，相当于Oh,My God!）
Out of stamps.
没有邮票了。
Someone must go to the post office.
有人必须去趟邮局。
Mother cat called her seven children.
猫妈妈叫来她的七个孩子.
Which two would go to town and mail the letter?
哪两个应该去镇上邮寄信呢？
Eenie-meenie-miney-mo, which of you will get to go?
埃尼-玫妮-米妮-莫，你们中哪一个去？
She will pick us this time.
她这次会选我们。
I know
我知道
Everyone wanted to go.
每个人都想去。
No me.No me.Me.
没有我.没有我。我（也没我）
Me.Me
我.我
Finally, Mother Cat chose her two eldest kittens.
每个人都想去，猫妈妈选了她的两个最大的猫咪。
Y-O-U, I choose you and you.
你，我选你和你.
Her youngest kittens were very sad.
她最年幼的小猫非常伤心，
They had never been to town without Mother Cat.
他们从来没有离开妈妈单独去镇上
Why couldn’t they have a chance?
为什么没有他们的机会呢？
Boo hoo! You never pick us Mother!
呜呜！你从来没选过我们，妈妈！
Let us go this time....BOOOO.HOOOO....
这次让我们去，呜呜呜...
BAH!
呸！（猫兄妹不高兴了）
How the older kittens laughed!
大猫笑成什么样了！
Send the babies to town?
派幼猫去镇上？
Even shadows scared them.
即使影子也会吓着他们。
They would never make it.
他们永远不可能办到。
Scaredy cats, scared cats, can’t even catch a rat! Ha-ha, haha,hah
胆小的猫，胆小的猫，一只老鼠都抓不住，哈哈哈！
I’m not scared.
我不怕。
Neither am I.
我也不怕。
But Mother Cat was fair. She knew the little kittens were right. It was their turn, after all.
但是猫妈妈是公平的。她知道小猫们是对的，毕竟是该轮到他们了。
Mother Cat gave the letter to heryoungest yellow kitten, and a coin to her youngest blue kitten.
猫妈妈把信给了她最小的黄猫，把硬币给了她最小的蓝猫。
Now go straight to the post office, buy a stamp, and mail this very important letter.
现在直接去邮局，买一张邮票，把这封非常重要的信件邮寄出去。
Proud and puffed-up, the happy kittensstarted on their way to town.
又骄傲又自豪，快乐的小猫开始出发去镇上了。
The cat caught the rat, the cat caught the rat,heigh-o the derry-o, the cat caught the rat.
猫抓住了老鼠，猫抓住了老鼠，啦啦啦啦，猫抓住了老鼠。
（他们在唱一首歌）
The road ahead seemed to go on and on forever.
向前进的路看起来一直向前延伸一直向前延伸直到永远。
Each step took the kittens farther and farther away from home.
每一步都引领着小猫们离家越来越远，越来越远。
Suddenly, yellow kitten began to wonder and worry about scarey things.
突然，黄猫开始想起并且担心起可怕的事情。
“what if something bad happen?”
“如果有坏事发生怎么办？”
“what if you lose Mother’s coin?”
“如果你弄丢了妈妈的硬币怎么办？”
that would be bad!
那样就糟了！
“what if I sneeze, ” blue kitten agreed，“Ahhh-Choooo”
蓝猫同意道“如果我打喷嚏了，”“阿嚏!”
“and the coin jumps out of my paw?”
“然后硬币从我爪里跳出去，怎么办？”
“and It starts rolling away,” yellow kitten added,
“然后它开始滚得远远的，”黄猫添油加醋道，
“faster and faster and faster?”
“越来越远，越来越远？”
Come back, coin!
硬币回来！
I’m not the Ginger bread Man, but I can roll as fast as he ran.
我不是姜汁饼干小人，但是我可以滚得和他一样快.
“And then it hides,” blue kitten said,
“然后它躲起来了，”蓝猫说
“and we cannot find it?”
“我们找不到它了？”
coin! Where are you?
硬币！你在哪里？
Here coin!
硬币在这！
But the scaredy cats did not turn back.They walked on down the road to town.
但是胆小的猫没有折返回去。他们继续沿着路往下走向城镇。
Before long, the kittens came to the bridge.
不一会，小猫们来到了大桥，
Suddenly, blue kitten began to wonder and worry about scarey things.
突然，蓝猫开始想和担心可怕的事情。
“what if something awful happens when we cross over?
“如果在我们过桥时糟糕的事情发生了怎么办？
What if someone steals Mother’s coin?”
如果有人偷了妈妈的硬币怎么办？”
How awful
真糟糕！
“what if a giant troll cat jumps up out of the water,” yellow kitten agreed,
黄猫赞同道，“如果一只巨型怪兽猫跳出水面，？”
“growling and yowling at us?”
“对我们咆哮并且吼叫怎么办？”
Grrrrr yowl
呃呃呃，咆哮声
“and he grabs us and shakes us, ” blueKitten added,
“他抓住我们并且摇我们，”蓝猫添油加醋道
“and wants to eat us up?”
“想要吃掉我们？”
I’m going to eat you for my snack.
我要吃掉你做我的点心。
“And he sees the coin shining in ourpaws,” yellow kitten said,
“他看到在你爪子里闪闪发光的硬币，”黄猫说
“and takes it from us?”
“从我们这拿走了？”
The scaredy cats thought about turning back, but they kept on going.
胆小的猫想要折返回家，但是他们继续前进了。
On the other side of the bridge, the kittens tiptoed into the forest.
在桥的另一端，小猫们踮起脚尖悄悄走进森林。
Suddenly, yellow kitten cats began to wonderand worry about scarey things.
突然，小黄猫开始想并且担心可怕的事情。
“what if something dreadful happens?
“如果可怕的事情发生了怎么办？
What if I lose Mother’s letter?”
如果我弄丢妈妈的信件怎么办？”
How dreadful ！
多可怕！
“what if a howling wind comes along?”Blue kitten agreed,
“如果风咆哮而过怎么办？”小蓝猫赞同道，
“and rips the letter out of your paws?”
“把信从我爪里撕坏？”
“And the wind throws the letter downinto the leaves?”Yellow Kitten added.
“风把信吹到树叶里？”小黄猫添油加醋。
“And we look and look for it, until we are grey and whiskered,” blue Kitten said.
“我们看呀找呀，直到我们衰老，满脸胡须，”小蓝猫说。
“but never find it?”
“但是从未找到？”
by whiskers, we’re bound to find it soon.
通过胡须，我们可以很快找到
Yep...
是的
Even though the scaredy cats wanted to go back home, they kept on walking through the forest.
尽管胆小的小猫想要回家，但他们继续走着穿越森林。
Soon, they came to the long, darktunnel.
很快，他们来到了长长的暗暗的隧道。
Suddenly, blue kitten began to wonder andworry about scarey things.
突然，小蓝猫开始想起并担心起可怕的事情。
“what if something terrible happens?What if someone steals Mother’s letter?”
“如果坏事发生怎么办？如果有人偷了妈妈的信件怎么办？”
how terrible
真糟糕（terrible等于very bad）
“what if cat-bandits are inside,waiting for us?”Yellow kitten agreed.
小黄猫赞同道：“如果猫强盗在里面怎么办？在等着我们？”
Heh, heh, heh,嘿嘿嘿嘿
Shhhhhhh! Here they are
嘘嘘嘘嘘！他们来了
“what if they have claws like knives,”Blue kitten added,
“如果他们有像刀子一样的猫爪怎么办，”小蓝猫添油加醋，
“and red-gleaming cat eyes?”
“闪着红光的猫眼睛？”
“And they surround us,”yellow kittensaid，
“他们包围我们，”小黄猫说
“and tie us up with ropes, and leave usshivering in the dark, cold tunnel?”
“并且用绳子把我们绑起来，把我们留在黑暗冰冷的隧道中索索发抖？”
I’m cold. 我冷.
Me me too. 我也是.
Still, the scaredy cats kept on going,through the tunnel and out the other side.
胆小的猫还是继续前行，穿过了隧道走出了另一端。
There, they found the nettle field. The kittens walked on through the tall weeds.
那里，他们发现了荨麻天地。小猫继续走穿过了高高的杂草。
Suddenly, yellow kitten began towonder and worry about scarey things.
突然，小黄猫开始想起并担心起可怕的事情。
“what if something woeful happens? what ifwe get lost?”
“如果悲催的事情发生怎么办？如果我们迷路了怎么办？”
how woeful！
多悲惨！
“what if an evil cat-witch casts a spell,” blue kitten agreed, “
小蓝猫赞同道“如果邪恶的猫女巫念个咒语”，
and turns the whole world into nettle fields?”
“把整个世界变到荨麻天地里怎么办？”
abra-cat-dabra Abra-猫咪-dabra
Grow nettles grow 长呀，荨麻，长呀
“and all the cats and towns are lost and hidden in the nettles,” yellow kittenadded.
“所有的猫和城镇都在荨麻地里迷失和隐藏起来，”小黄猫添油加醋道。“
Goosey-goosey gander
呆头鹅-呆头鹅出发吧
Whither dost thou wander? Heh, heh
无论到了哪里，嘿嘿嘿嘿
（这两句都是巫婆咒语类的）
Help Help
救命 救命
“and we never find the post office?”
我们永远也找不到邮局？”
The scaredy cats wished they could go back home,
胆小的猫希望他们能够回家，
but they walked on through the nettles, until they came to the high,rocky ledge.
但是他们继续前行穿过了荨麻地，直到来到岩石壁。
Suddenly, blue kitten began to wonderand worry about scarey things.
突然，小蓝猫开始想起并担心起害怕的事情。
“what if something hideous happens? What ifsomeone steals us?”
“如果有可怕的事情发生怎么办？如果有人偷我们怎么办？”
how hideous
多可怕！
“what if a great, screeching birdsnatches us?”Yellow kitten agreed
小黄猫赞同道：“如果一只巨大尖叫的鸟抓住我们”
screech 尖叫声
“and takes us to its nest, high on amountain top,”Blue kitten added.
“并且带我们去它的鸟窝，在高高的山顶上，怎么办?”小蓝猫添油加醋道。
“And” yellow kitten said, “we have tofeed and care for its ugly babies.”
“而且”小黄猫说，“我们不得不喂养和照顾它丑陋的宝宝。”
Even now, the scaredy cats kept on going. They did not turn back.
即使现在，胆小的猫继续前行。他们没有返回。
watch your step
留心脚下
Follow my tail
抓紧我的尾巴
Hurray! At the bottom of the ledge, the kittens came into town, and the post office was not hard to find.
耶！在岩壁底部，小猫们进入了城镇，找到邮局并不难。
Look, there it is
看，它在那
Let’s go
我们出发
But when they ran up to the door, a truly bad and awful and dreadful and terrible and woeful and hideous thing happened.
但是当他们跑上去到了门边，一个真的非常坏的糟糕的可怕的极可恶的丑恶的事情发生了。
The post office was closed for the day.
邮局今天关张。
closed for general cat’s birthday
店长生日关张休息
Oh no! It’s not even open.
奥，不！没开门
Now, Mother’s coin could not buy a stamp.
现在，妈妈的硬币买不了邮票。
Mother’s letter could not be mailed. How could the kittens go home without finishing their job?
妈妈的信不能邮寄出去。小猫们怎么能没有完成他们的工作就回家呢？
Just then, the kittens had a wonderful surprise.
这时，小猫突然有个很棒的惊喜。
A bus drove up and grandmother cat stepped out.
一个公共汽车赶到，猫奶奶走出来。
look who’s here.
看呀，谁在这
No one knew she was coming to Catville.
没有人知道她会来猫咪城镇。
Grandmother!
奶奶
Do we have problems!
我们看错了吗
The kittens told her about mother’s very important letter,and about scarey things.
小猫们告诉她关于妈妈非常重要的信，和可怕的事情。
we carried mother’s coin and letter.
我们带着妈妈的硬币和信件
Troll cat, and wind, and bandits and nettles and bird
怪兽猫，大风，强盗，荨麻和大鸟
When grandmother cat looked at theletter, it was her turn to be surprised.
当猫奶奶看着信时，轮到她惊奇了，
The letter was for her.she opened it and read out loud.
这封信是给她的。她打开信大声读了起来。
Dear grandmother cat, why don’t you come for a visit?
亲爱的猫奶奶，为什么不来走访？
The kittens miss you, sincerely, mother cat.
小猫们想你，诚挚的猫妈妈
Before they left catville, grandmother cat took the kittens to the ice cream parlour.
离开猫咪城镇前，猫奶奶带小猫们去冰淇淋大厅。
She treated them all to fishberry cones.
她请他们吃了鱼味浆果冰淇淋筒。
At last, the kittens started for home ,with grandmother cat following close behind.
最后，小猫们开始和猫奶奶紧紧前后脚的回家.
Which way are the bandits?Show me that old troll cat.
哪条路上有强盗？指给我看看老猫怪兽.
You say there is a witch up ahead?
你说前面有女巫？（bandit强盗troll怪兽witch女巫）
Follow us Grandmother!
奶奶跟着我们！
We know the way!
我们知道这条路！
On the way, they wondered and worried about scarey things-but not very much.
在路上，他们想到并且有一点点担心可怕的事情。
封底
Blue kitten and yellow kitten are delighted when they are allowed to run an errand all by themselves. But the further they leave home behind, the more dangerous their mission seems.
蓝猫和黄猫对于被允许单独去执行任务很开心，但是离家越远，他们的任务看起来越危险。
Delightful told, this hilarious tale reminds us that imaginary fears are often far worse than the real thing.
幸运地讲，滑稽的传说提醒我们想象的恐惧经常比实际要糟糕得多。
【故事讲解】
【句型】
故事分了六个场景，每个场景的句型简单、重复。
1、what if...... 在六个场景中出现了19次之多。
2、每个场景都有一句话：Suddenly, Yellow Kitten began to wander and worry about scarey things.
【歌谣】
Eenie-meenie-miney-mo,which of you will get to go?
就是像手心手背一样的一种外国小孩子经常用来决定的游戏。比如玩游戏要分组，eenie meenie miney mo,点到的几个人一组。
The cat caught the rat,Heigh-o the derry-o,The cat caught the rat.
The farmer in the dell, 山谷里的农夫 ，和这个童谣是一个曲调哦~
【背后的故事】
1、选择英语启蒙读物，不仅仅是为了孩子学习英语，还要有好的思想主题。Scaredy-Cat，奇思妙想的结合孩子的生活，生动地、妙趣横生的构画了第一次做事情的场景，勇气是这个故事的主题。爸爸妈妈们可以结合故事给小朋友讲勇气哦。
2、最近儿子也在学这本书，孩子还是英语起步阶段，小男孩对故事中的各种场景特别的感兴趣，每一次都问这是怎么了，我会让他一边点读，一遍思考句子和图片的意思。大部分的时候，孩子的分析能力是非常可靠的。所以爸爸妈妈们在和孩子做互动的时候，不妨放手让孩子自己去探索书中的世界。在熟悉之后（这个阶段是让孩子感兴趣的），家长也需要介入，让孩子了解得更深入，为学习英语做铺垫。
我是思妈，有一男孩，今年五岁，风风雨雨一路走来，有悲伤哭泣，但更多的是欢声笑语，爱在这条路上，为孩子披荆斩棘。在这里，有育儿经的分享，有图书经典共勉，更还有多的学习资料共享。在这里，欢迎您和我共同探讨育儿路上的那些事~
